Improved pontoon boat



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JOHN HEGEMAN, OF VISCHERS' FERRY, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent 1%. 64,103, dated April 23, 1867.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JOHN HEGEMAN, of Vischers Ferry, in the county ofSaratoga, and State of New York, have invented a new and improvedPontoon Boat; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin the art to make and use the some, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a top or plan view of my improved boat.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the same when folded.

Figure 4 is a top view of the same when folded.

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-section of the same showing theconstruction of the cross-bars or stays.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view showing the strap and book by whichthe parts are secured to each other.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved pontoon boat,which can be built very light, and which will at the same time be verystrong, and which can be folded into the smallest and most compactcompass for transportation without injury to the strength of the boat;and it consists in an improved pontoonboat, the bottom, sides, and endsof which are made in sections, which'are constructed and hinged to eachother in the manner hereinafter more fully described.

A is themiddlc section of the bottom of the boat, and it is formed ofthree longitudinal strips connected to each other by CI'OSSrbE'Ll'S, theend and middle ones of which are made heavier than the others both forstrength and for the attachment of the hinges by which the sides of theboat are attached to the said bottom section. B are the end sections ofthe bottom, and C are the sections that form the ends of the boat. Thesections B and O are connected to each other by hinges, D, so that thesections C may be turned up into an inclined position, as shown in fig.2. The sections B are connected to the section A by hinges Eso that thesections B and C may be turned back together beneath the section A- infolding the boat for transportation, as shown in fig. 3. F are thecentral sections of the sides of the boat, which are made in the form ofa rectangle, the longitudinal side pieces of which are connected andstrengthened by braces alternately inclined in opposite directions, asshown in figs 2, 3, and 4. The sections F are further strengthened byiron bolts passing through their side pieces, and by one or more boltsor rods passing through their end pieces, and through the inclinedbraces, as shown in the drawings. The sections -F are connected tothesection A of the bottom by hinges G, in such a manner that they may befolded down upon the said bottomsection for transportation, as shown infig. 4. H are the end sections of the sides, which are made in the samemanner as the sections F, except that their outer ends are inclined togive form to the ends of the boat, as shown in fig. 2. The side sectionsH are connected to the sections B by the hinges I, so that they may befolded down upon the upper sides of the sections B and G, and with themfolded beneath the bottom section A for transportation, as shown in fig.3. The sections of the boat are secured to each other by straps andhooks, J, which straps and'hooks may, if desired, be so arranged asalsoto secure the said sections to each other when folded fortransportation. The boat is still further strengthened by four or morecross-bars or stay-frames K, consisting of a top and bottom horizontalbar, two inclined bars crossing each other at the centre, and a. centralvertical bar, all securely fastened to each other. The cross-bars orbraces K are also provided with hooks, K, which hook upon the sidetimbers of the boat to keep the said stay-frames Ksec'urely in place.The boat should be covered with canvas or other suitable material in theordinary manner.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by LettersPatent-- The combinationof the hinged parts, consisting. of the bottom A B, the end sections G,central sections F, and side end sections H, when the sides and endsections are so constructed as to fold over on the bottom of the boat,in the manner described.

JOHN HEGEMAN.

Witnesses JOHN J. Grure, CORNELIUS H. Capra.

